MKS's Log: A new take on fake

Still waiting for the recipe inspiration to hit. In the meantime, I've been scheming.

If you ask any health-conscious vegan why they avoid fake meats, I bet one or more of these reasons will turn up in their explanations:

-Egg protein and/or casein (dairy protein) are found in a lot of these meats, rendering them very much NOT VEGAN. (In my head I'm imagining the NOT VEGAN sound byte from Vegan Freak Radio.)
-Soy protein isolate. Vegan, but extremely unhealthy. In the words of Dr. John McDougall, "You may as well eat meat." Here's why. (Scroll to the section titled "Calcium Loss and Cancer Growth from Protein Concentrates".)
-Isolated wheat gluten is used as a binder and a texture enhancer in a lot of commercially available fake meats. Wheat gluten may very well be the most potent and common food allergen, and it can cause unpleasant digestive and skin conditions for sensitive people. Along with casein, it is also thought to enhance the symptoms of autistic spectrum disorders. (I'm not going to provide a link for this one, but google "wheat gluten autism" and witness the debate for yourself.)
-Fat. Some fake meats are loaded with any and every kind of oil you can imagine just to simulate the feeling of biting into a 30% fat ground chuck burger.

While there are many reasons to avoid commercially available fake meats, that doesn't make fake meats out of the question. There are perfectly good replacements for the proteins, texture enhancers, binders, and fats listed above.

For protein: Instead of relying on soy protein isolate, use enzymatically processed rice protein powder (available at health food stores and gyms). You can mix it into baked goods, and use it in lentil balls and lentil loaf. Rice protein is a perfect compliment to bean and lentil proteins, therefore adding rice protein will not only increase the amount of protein in otherwise grain-free meats, it will enhance the quality of the protein already present. Enzymatically processed rice protein producers tout their low-temperature production method as not destroying any of the amino acids in the finished product, but uncooked rice also contains higher levels of lectins, which are proteins apparently capable of causing stomach upset, and possibly inhibiting nutrient absorption, among other nasty things. So, baking this stuff might actually be the better bet.

For binders and texture enhancers: Use xanthan gum and flax "gluten". Xanthan gum is something that is commonly used to replace wheat gluten in gluten-free baking. It is GRAS (generally recognized as safe) but I don't want to make a habit of using it in large amounts. A little will go a long way to provide a (I hate using this adjective) meaty texture. Flax "gluten" is not only a great binder, but it also provides omega-3 fatty acids even post-baking. Flax is also a very highly anti-inflammatory food.

For fats: Instead of adding isolated fats, grind up whole, raw pumpkin seeds in a coffee grinder, and add the meal to a fake meat mix. Pumpkin seeds are very rich in iron, vitamin K, and protein. Pumpkin seed meal also adds a rich, (I don't want to use that adjective again) flavor to any fake meat.

(In case you're wondering why using the word "meaty" bothers me, but talking about fake meats does not, I am wondering that as well. I think that there's some latent guilt present for even wanting something so close to the "original", animal carcass that it is...)

So, there you have it: Fake meats to feel good about. I guess I should write some recipes about now...